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Tuesday, 30 October 2007 |
A fact finding mission was deployed in January 2003 and soon after, a
logistic team arrived in Amman, Jordan to coordinate operations and
set-up a Basic Health Unit (BHU). The first medical team provided
medical assistance at the Jordan-Iraq border refugee camp.
 
A second medical mission, led by Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, President,
MERCY Malaysia delivered RM62,000 worth of surgical supplies to
Al-Qadsia and Al-Kindi Hospitals in Baghdad. MERCY Malaysia’s work in
Iraq continues. In June, on behalf of the Malaysian Government, we
delivered RM300,000 worth of medical drugs to Chwader Hospital in
Baghdad.
MERCY Malaysia has also embarked on major rehabilitation projects for
Al Kuff Hospital and Al Mansour Hospital. We continued providing
medical assistance with ongoing shipments of medicines and medical
supplies.
Our humanitarian aid encompasses sanitation projects and distribution of jerry cans for drinking water and sterilizing tablets.
Updates on MERCY Malaysia's Work in Baghdad
The delivery of beds was part of continuing work in restoring the
hospital, which specializes in spinal cord injuries and prosthetics
rehabilitation. The beds were ordered from our medical supplier in
Amman, Jordan in February, and shipped to Aqaba Port, Jordan, from
Italy. The beds were then transported overland to Baghdad, Iraq.
Total cost of the beds, excluding delivery from Aqaba to Baghdad, is 70,710 Euros, which is approximately 883 Euros per bed.
MERCY Malaysia’s work of rehabilitating the Al-Quff Hospital is now
almost complete, with the exception of some changes to the original
contract: Hospital authorities have requested MERCY to expand the
hospital’s patient capacity by converting the hospital’s staff quarters
into a new ward. Al-Quff hospital will have a patient capacity of 130
after the completion of renovation works, an increase from the initial
100 patients.
In other improvements, MERCY Malaysia has successfully rehabilitated
three fuel tanks located in the Medical City Complex in Baghdad, and
successfully handed it over to the Iraqi Ministry of Health last June.
The tanks provide fuel for heating buildings in the medical complex, in
addition to providing steam for sterilizing medical equipment. The heat
also provides for laundry and cooking capabilities within the complex.
The renovation project included the substitution of tanks, the
construction of a new pump room, and the replacement of pipes and
fittings. The final cost of the project has yet to be received, but
will be about US$20,000 to US$30,000. MERCY Malaysia also continued
work on the rehabilitation of Al-Mansoor Hospital in Baghdad.
Infrastructural renovation of the hospitals’ electrical wiring,
elevators, air conditioning, roofing and sewage systems began in
October 2003, after receiving approval of the Iraq Medical Assistant
Committee.Work on the hospital’s hydrotherapy pool was completed this
past February and was handed over to the Ministry of Health the same
month. A contract was also signed to replace two water tanks, to be
used for industrial and drinking purposes.
MERCY Malaysia has also refurbished the entire fire-fighting system in
the hospital. The final cost of the project has not been received at
press time, but is expected to be between US$45,000 to US$55,000.
In 2005 MERCY Malaysia's aid for Iraq focused on the rebuilding and expansion of the current emergency unit at the Zayuna Primary Health Care Centre.
The project which began in mid 2005 was completed early 2006. The centre serves approximately 400,000 residents living in Zayuna district of Baghdad and caters for 150 outpatient cases daily.
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